Posted by Mary's Tack & Feed on 28th Oct 2020
4 Steps to a Clean Barn
Like everyone these days, horse owners are concerned with cleanliness and germ control. We are cleaning and sanitizing every surface to prevent the spread of COVID-19. It goes beyond that, though. Face it, now that we're aware of all those germs lurking everywhere, we can't ignore them.
Mary's Tack & Feed has always prioritized cleanliness but we have definitely kicked it up a notch. We have some helpful tips for horse owners who want to step up their game, too!
THE BIG CLEAN
A thorough cleaning of shared barn areas like tack rooms and cross ties is the obvious first step. Wear protective gloves, goggles, and a face covering so you don't end up with debris in your eyes, nose, or mouth. A cap helps keep the gross stuff out of your hair. Start from top to bottom to eliminate cobwebs, dirt, and debris. A heavy duty shop vacuum is the best way to do this because it will also remove spiders and rodent droppings. Once the loose debris is removed, you can clean the surfaces. Paper towels, sponges, or reusable cloths and disinfectant will work for most spaces. For larger wall and ceiling surfaces, try a floor mop. Outdoor areas can even be hosed down. Once you've finished with the bigger areas, move to the smaller ones. Remember, you won't be performing surgery here. Do the best you can.
DAILY SUPPLIES
Empty the grooming totes, tack trunks, drawers, and storage carts so you can clean them. This is a great time to discard any grooming supplies or tools that are broken or worn out. Soak brushes and grooming tools in a disinfecting solution, rinse, and dry before returning to the totes. Spray muck cart, broom, and rake handles with disinfectant. Most disinfectants require 10 minutes of contact to kill germs. Always read the label for directions.
TACK
Clean saddles, leather bridles, metal bits, horse blankets, and accessories with products designed to do the job right. Mary's has a huge selection of leather tack soap, conditioners, leather restorers, metal cleaner, bit disinfectant wipes and scrubs, blanket wash, and more. If there are saddle pads, horse blankets, and polo wraps that have been overlooked by the laundry fairy, now is the time to wash them. Make sure to use an appropriate blanket or saddle pad wash for your horse laundry. Using a mild cleanser will insure the fibers remain strong and last longer. Clean tack looks and smells better, lasts longer, and is safer for horse and rider.
MAINTAIN CLEANLINESS
The initial cleaning is done. Now what? Keep it clean with readily accessible disinfectant sprays and wipes. Hand sanitizer is important to stop the spread of bacteria, too. If everyone gets into the routine of wiping down shared spaces on a regular basis, not only will there be fewer germs, insects, and rodents, the barn will look and smell so much nicer!
Horse life is dirty, but daily effort to keep the dirt and germs in check will prevent it from getting out of control.
Here are some best sellers at Mary's Tack...
Suggested Cleaning Tools
ChemWorks Disinfectant Sanitizer
DermaCen Instant Hand Sanitizer
Favorites for Tack
Belvoir Tack Conditioner Spray